Best Hot Chicken Joints in Dallas

Even a worldwide pandemic could not slow down Dallas' newest food trend - Nashville Hot Chicken. Dallasites have long been licking grease off their fingers after a plate of classic fried chicken, but in recent years, the craze for hot chicken has left those fingers covered in grease and cayenne pepper. Almost a dozen hot chicken spots have popped up in recent years. Here is a quick sampling for those with a hankering for heat.

Lucky's Hot Chicken

This Nashville hot chicken joint transformed an old laundromat on Gaston Avenue into a hip, retro spicy chicken-making machine. The counter-service restaurant serves chicken wings, tenders and sandwiches with five spice levels along with a long list of milkshakes to cool down overly spiced mouths. The mid-century-modern decor with its checkered vinyl flooring, a diner-style, aluminum-banded countertop and red-and-white umbrellas makes a great backdrop for those Instagram photos as you brag to your friends about eating the ultimate in hot spices - the Best of Luck spiced chicken wings.

Palmer's Hot Chicken

Palmer's hot chicken comes in four different spice levels: naked, novice (mild), Nashville (forehead sweating hot) and "napalm" (SO HOT). The chicken plates are accompanied by non-spicy sides like collard greens, waffle fries, Pimento cheese grits and coleslaw.

If spicy chicken is not your thing, Palmer's also serves gulf shrimp, catfish and street tacos. With crisp beers on tap, an endless supply of Frosé (frozen Rosé) and a newly extended patio, you can hang out at Palmer's long after your lips have cooled down from the chicken.

The Biscuit Bar

What is the only way to make fried hot chicken better? Put it in between flakey biscuits and top it off with crispy dill pickles and cool homemade ranch. This is exactly the way The Biscuit Bar serves its Hot Hot Chicken sandwich. Wash it all down with a craft cocktail, draft beer, cold brew coffee or kombucha all on tap.

Dave's Hot Chicken

California's scrappy late-night hot chicken go-to has finally landed in Texas. What started as a pop-up venue in East Hollywood in 2017 is quickly making its way through the United States. The first Texas location opened on Preston Road near Belt Line Road in May. The company has plans to open ten more locations in Dallas.

Dave's Hot Chicken offers seven spice levels from No Spice to the Reaper (which requires a signed waiver for those who order it). The restaurant specializes in hot chicken tenders and sliders along with sides of house-made kale slaw, creamy mac n' cheese and crispy french fries.

Zalat Pizza

Who says hot chicken can't go on pizza? Not Khanh Nguyen, the founder of Zalat Pizza. The Nashville hot chicken and pickles pizza is made with a special sweet and spicy hot sauce base, topped with mozzarella cheese, baked chicken, thin slices of red onion and bread-and-butter pickles. For an extra kick, Nguyen drizzles a Sriracha-laced ranch dressing throughout the pizza.

Vegan Food House

Just because you are vegan does not mean that you have to miss out on all the fun. Inside the Vegan Food House's cute turquoise Craftsman-style bungalow in north Oak Cliff is a mom-and-pop restaurant that serves mouthwatering vegan Creole food. In addition to the vegan buffalo mac and cheeseburger and the po-boy (faux) shrimp sandwiches, the small restaurant serves their famous Nashville hot chick'em sandwich. Patrons choose between oyster mushroom or setian as the meat's base. Sandwiches are topped with a generous mound of purple cabbage, sliced pickles, and a jalapeno ranch dressing. This is the go-to restaurant if you want to warm your heart with the knowledge that no animals have been hurt in your pursuit of the city's spiciest chicken.